Dave Heeke recently hired a chief operating officer, just the second position of its kind in the Pac-12 (USC).
After 14 months on the job, Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke has made the most significant changes to the school’s administration since Cedric Dempsey in the mid-1980s.
Most telling, Heeke recently hired a chief operating officer, Derek van der Merwe, from Austin Peay’s executive administration. The move, coupled with the hiring of Krystal Swindlehurst to operate the UA’s strategic planning, internal administration and human resources, has redirected Arizona’s front office.
It should prove two things: Heeke isn’t a maintenance AD. He’s in step with the growth and change necessary in college athletics. Both Swindlehurst and van der Merwe worked under Heeke at Central Michigan.
The old model of college athletics no longer works efficiently. Heeke deserves credit for recognizing the need for change from Greg Byrne’s model before being steamrolled by the progressive Pac-12.
Change was necessary. For one, Arizona is now ranked No. 49 in the Learfield Directors’ Cup, a total reflection on the effectiveness of each school’s sports programs. That’s unacceptable. Arizona State is 29th. The Wildcats find themselves bunched in the bottom third of the Pac-12 with No. 60 Utah, No. 75 Oregon State and No. 79 WSU.
You can get buried in that company.
Heeke’s administration at Arizona will be defined by his ability to move Arizona back into the top 25, as well as by his effectiveness in restoring the school’s image, one that has taken a beating in disturbing off-field issues with basketball player Elliott Pitts, assistant track coach Craig Carter and football coach Rich Rodriguez.
An AD’s job has changed thoroughly in the last 10 years. Do you realize that Arizona’s staff directory lists just 85 people involved strictly in sports programs, and 156 who work in various support roles, from compliance to fundraising?
The UA’s sports medical services lists 25 full-time employees. That’s more than the fundraising arm of the Wildcat Club, which has 21.
There is no universal way to operate a Pac-12 athletic program. Arizona’s van der Merwe is only one of two COOs (the other is at USC). Arizona State AD Ray Anderson has 67 more administrative employees than Arizona as listed in the Sun Devils’ staff directory — but the Sun Devils also sponsor hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, triathlon and water polo programs.
Anderson’s lead assistant is Jean Boyd, whose title is executive senior associate AD. Boyd’s key duties: overseeing the well-being of athletes, their path to graduation, diversity and inclusion.
This is no longer 1985 or even 1995. College athletics have become far more complicated. Heeke has thus far made the changes necessary to keep Arizona afloat.
